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One Heart Full of Love
One Heart Full of Love gathers together stirring addresses and interviews given by Mother Teresa to her Missionaries of Charity and other groups worldwide on such topics as self-giving, the call to love our neighbor, spiritual poverty in the West, and a life of joy-filled sacrifice. Here is spiritual food that will nourish your heart and soul. A Servant Book.
150 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
March 22, 2025
I read this chapter by chapter and not with the intent to just complete a book. I should re-read some parts yearly as a reminder of being a better person and to love others more. Even if you’re not Catholic, this is a humble read.
August 22, 2024
I got this book at a thrift store, and it is several speeches Teresa made throughout her life. Some are accepting awards while others are interviews she gave.
There are a lot of interesting thoughts she brings up in the speeches, including how people need to look to their own families first to find poverty because many in the household are dealing with sadness, regrets, and questions. She also talks about how gracious people are that her and her sisters helped throughout the years just by showing kindness, especially those who are close to death due to illness and by just giving them food or a bed before they pass shows the love of Christ to them.
Another topic that was thought-provoking was how she talked several times about charity and donations. She stated that some people gave to her charity only when they had things left over but the true sacrifices was situations when a little child gave up his ration of sugar for a week to give to her to feed someone else.
The only problem with the book is that once you read, say five or six of the speeches, the others seemed to talk about the same thing over again with the same stories. But it was still a good read and made me think more about how our society treats others.
There are a lot of interesting thoughts she brings up in the speeches, including how people need to look to their own families first to find poverty because many in the household are dealing with sadness, regrets, and questions. She also talks about how gracious people are that her and her sisters helped throughout the years just by showing kindness, especially those who are close to death due to illness and by just giving them food or a bed before they pass shows the love of Christ to them.
Another topic that was thought-provoking was how she talked several times about charity and donations. She stated that some people gave to her charity only when they had things left over but the true sacrifices was situations when a little child gave up his ration of sugar for a week to give to her to feed someone else.
The only problem with the book is that once you read, say five or six of the speeches, the others seemed to talk about the same thing over again with the same stories. But it was still a good read and made me think more about how our society treats others.
December 25, 2022
This short book is a collection of talks by Mother Teresa and some interviews. Put it on your reading list because her words will lead you down the path towards greater kindness with everyone you meet.
December 13, 2015
This is a short compilation of various speeches and interviews. I'm not sure it's the best source for information about Mother Teresa, and I'm not sure if it includes all of her speeches or just most of them. Nevertheless, definite themes begin to emerge. It is amazing how simple and yet how challenging these themes are.
1. Recognize the poor where you are. She says, "Do you know who the poor are in your own family? Are you aware that in your own family, in your own living situation, there may be someone who is very lonely, who feels unloved or hurt?" And then later she talks about making our own homes another Nazareth where Jesus dwells -- "I believe we must look for holiness, joy and love in our own homes."
2. Smile at people. She said some teachers came to Calcutta, and asked her for advice that they could take home with them. She doesn't give them a ton of complicated advice or point out their problems -- she says, "Smile at one another. We hardly have time to look at one another, much less smile at each other." An interviewer asks her, "What should we do when suffering comes to us?" And she responds, "Accept it with a smile."
3. Pray. Nearly every address includes the prayer attributed to St. Francis, "Lord, make me an instrument of your peace..." She says that this is the secret of the Missionaries of Charity: they have a strong prayer life, and their work becomes a prayer because it is done with God and for God.
4. Don't be troubled by the sins and shortcomings of others. Some people said to her -- "You don't talk about the difficulties." And she says, everyone knows there are difficulties, so why does she have to talk about them all the time? Instead, "Let's focus more on the things we are to do in serving our husband, our wife, our children, our brothers -- rather than on other people's shortcomings."
5. Value the sanctity of life. In nearly every speech she decries abortion as incompatible with our desire for world peace. She tells one interviewer that she isn't interested in the specifics of what should be legal and what should be illegal. "I don't think any human heart should dare to take human life," she says. Every life at every stage in life matters to Mother Teresa.
1. Recognize the poor where you are. She says, "Do you know who the poor are in your own family? Are you aware that in your own family, in your own living situation, there may be someone who is very lonely, who feels unloved or hurt?" And then later she talks about making our own homes another Nazareth where Jesus dwells -- "I believe we must look for holiness, joy and love in our own homes."
2. Smile at people. She said some teachers came to Calcutta, and asked her for advice that they could take home with them. She doesn't give them a ton of complicated advice or point out their problems -- she says, "Smile at one another. We hardly have time to look at one another, much less smile at each other." An interviewer asks her, "What should we do when suffering comes to us?" And she responds, "Accept it with a smile."
3. Pray. Nearly every address includes the prayer attributed to St. Francis, "Lord, make me an instrument of your peace..." She says that this is the secret of the Missionaries of Charity: they have a strong prayer life, and their work becomes a prayer because it is done with God and for God.
4. Don't be troubled by the sins and shortcomings of others. Some people said to her -- "You don't talk about the difficulties." And she says, everyone knows there are difficulties, so why does she have to talk about them all the time? Instead, "Let's focus more on the things we are to do in serving our husband, our wife, our children, our brothers -- rather than on other people's shortcomings."
5. Value the sanctity of life. In nearly every speech she decries abortion as incompatible with our desire for world peace. She tells one interviewer that she isn't interested in the specifics of what should be legal and what should be illegal. "I don't think any human heart should dare to take human life," she says. Every life at every stage in life matters to Mother Teresa.
March 20, 2009
Since this is mostly a collection of letters, I found myself skimming a lot rather than reading for content, because the the same themes are iterated throughout. I loved her mission and her message, though. With regard to recent insights into her spiritual conflicts, I admired her commitment to her mission regardless of these inner conflicts.
June 26, 2015
Throughout this book one can find the thoughts of Mother Teresa so clearly especially about her service to the poorest of the poor and also this work reflects the many great things that she has encountered in her incredible life with simplicity and strength. Her appeal to her fellow human beings is simple.See God in your neighbor. Love all.
January 25, 2008
A book of collected talks and interviews by Mother Teresa. Some interesting reading, but by the end it got rather repetitive. Not a problem in the talks, which were no doubt inspiring, but I didn't feel it worked well having them all collected together.
April 24, 2008
everyone should read something by mother teresa. another great book by her which is not in here is THE BLESSING OF LOVE. it's not a book, but a list of quotes by her and they are so good to read again and again.
September 1, 2012
I love this book of an amazing woman. She tells of her beliefs and amazing stories of the poor she served.
December 15, 2013
An amazing woman with an incredible heart. As a collection of speeches in print were so repetitive it became hard to stay focused.
Want to Read
January 29, 2015like to read one heart full of love
May 12, 2013
Amazing ability to be so available to her Spouse.
June 15, 2016
Love , compassion and service that's all that makes Mother Teresa more inspiring.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews